Pump construction



July 22, 1947.

H. E. Rose 2,424,332

PUMP CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 26, 1944 /N/EA/TQR: .How/a RD E. ROSE,

y HTTOPA/EYS.

Patented July 22, 1947 PUMP CONSTRUCTION Howard E. Rose, Peninsula,Ohio, assignor to Alco Valve Company, University City, Mo., acorporation of Missouri Application February 26, 1944, Serial No.523,982

10 Claims.

The present invention relates to a pump construction, and moreparticularly to a pump construction for wells in which no moving part isrequired to be extended from the surface to the The valve member 22 iscut away to provide a valving space 26.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that an operating port 21 connectsthe interior of the pipe bottom of the well. A column of liquid being 5I3 with the upper end surface of the valve 22. pumped is employed as theforce transmitting (This port is suggested in Fig. 3 by dot and dashmeans for operating a pumping unit at the botlines.) Thus, force exertedby pressure within tom ofthe Well. the pipe I3 acts to displace thevalve 22 down- An object of the invention is to provide a pump Wardlyagainst the spring 25. The enlargement of the foregoing type in whichalternating high 24 is ported at 29 (Fig- 3) into the string t0 Del'-and low pressures in the column of oil being mit escape of oil that mayleek in'GO the Space pumped eiTect actuation of the pumping unit. A 24,and which would otherwise obstruct moveparticular object of theinvention is to provide a ment of the valve (note that no PTOViSOn iSmade pumping unit having a movable piston and a to relieve this oil onthe down stroke of the valve mechanism responsive to the high pressureValve). to effect displacement of the pump in a working The interior 0fthe Dine I3 iS also COnneCed direction, and operable upon low pressureto re- (Fig. 1) by a Dort 3@ that leadS t0 the Cylinder lease thepumping member. 23 below the space 26 on the valve when the In thedrawing: valve is in its upper position. (This port is sug- Fig. 1 is avertical sectional view of the pump- 20 gested by dot and dash lines inFig. 3.) The ing unit; space 26 is in communication with the port 3IFig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2 2 of When the valve iseither up er down- The port Fig. 1; and 3l leads to the bottom of thecylinder IB beneath Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3 3 thepiston-like head 0.n the plunger Il. of Fig. 2. A port 33 (Fig. 3) leadsfrom the valve cylinder The unit will be described in connection with 23into the tOp Of the Cylinder I6 When lGlle Valve pumping oil, although,as is evident, it may be 22 iS 11D- A COIlIleClfing DOIt 34, C0nt10lledby a used in many other connections. check valve 35, also leads from thet0n of the A Well liner is shown at I0, it receiving a pump cylinder I 6into the string. string II, toward the bottom of which is dis- 30Operation posed a pumping unit l2. The pumping unit I2 v is locatedwithin the supply of Oil to be pumped The string II is capped inconventional manto the surface, and is maintained in this position neland Connected Wlth 2 plpe leadmg to storage, by pipe |31ead1ngt0thesurface or other suitable place of disposition of the oil The pumpingunit I2, usually cylindrical, has to be pumpedrhe pip? I3 is Connectedtoa a lower flange |4 that seals off the ou supply s source ofintermittent fluid pressure, preferably in the wen from the string abovethe flange. The in the manner Shown in apphcents CO-pendine member I2has an inner cylinder I8 that receives apphcatlon Senal No' 5241195 medFebruary 28# 2f plllngel` l'l adapted to be reciprocated therein 19.44.mr Dee? Wen .pumpen .The 'pressure '8.11pand to extend downwardlythrough the flange phed m the pipe I3 attalns a hlgh Value sufctent andthe bottom of the member l2 into the on to produce a for@ to h t theHung?? 'l algal-mst the head of oil 1n the string, as will be shown.Supply The plunge? n has a' passage '8 extend' When it is relieved tolow pressure, the force mg therethrough Wlth a Check Valve I9 at theproduced is less than the downward force acting top thereof. The checkvalve I9 permits flow of 45 upon the plunger oil upwardly through thepassage I8, but prevents When the apphsd pressure is low, the springdown OW thereof' 25 maintains the valve 22 in its upper position. TheOperation of the plunger and the discharge This spring is of suonstrength as to overcome of oil is controlled through a valve mechanismforce produced by the head of oil in the pipe I3 having a slide valvemember 22. The slide valve at the low pressure, member reciproeates in acylindrical passage 23, Upon the application of high pressure withinhaving an enlargement 24 at the bottom thereof, the pipe I3, the highpressure liquid ows containing a spring 25 that normally urges thethrough the port 21, and displaces the valve 22 valve member 22 upwardlywith a predetermined downwardly. When the valve is down, it conforce.nects the ports 30 and 3l to introduce the high It is, of course,prevented from escaping through the passage I8 of the plunger by thecheck valve It will be seen that when the plunger is thus movingupwardly to expel oil, the head of oil within the string will be actingupon the top of the plunger. Consequently, the high pressure appliedthrough the pipe I3 must be of sufllcient l value to produce a forceacting upwardly on the plunger Il to overcome the downwardly actingforce produced by the head of oil within the string. In case Vthe oil isbeing pumped against a greater pressure than head pressure, the highpressure value in the pipe I3 must be sufciently high to overcome suchapplied back pressure.

When the pipe pressure is relieved to its lower value, the valve 22 willreturn to its upper position under the influence of the spring 25. Itthereby cuts off the pressure applying port 30 from the port 3|i leadingbeneath the plunger II and causes the port 3| to be connected with theport 33, asis shown in Fig. 3, so that the oil contained beneath theplunger II may ow out to the space above the same to join with a newcharge of oil. The quantity of oil beneath the plunger I'I is much belowthe volumetric capacity of the cylinder above the plunger, as isobvious.

The plunger II, being relieved of upper pressure, descends bygravity,vand, in so doing, produces a rcondition of higher pressurewithin the oil supply thanthat within the upper part of the cylinder I6.'Ihisusually comes about because of the fact thatthe oil supply betweenthe liner I0 and the string II is at a higher level than the top-of thecylinder IB. Such oil flows through the` passage I8 and past the checkvalve I9 to illl the upper part of the cylinder. The pumping mechanismis thereupon positioned for a new cycle upon a subsequentapplication ofhigh pressure in the pipe I3.

It will be seenthat this pumping mechanism requires only a singleoperating connection with the surface, and that there is no movingmechanical part extending from the pumping unit to the surface. Only theoil within the pipe I3 acts as a moving part.

It is further clear that there is only one piston required, as the valve22 controls the application of fluid pressures to permit descent of theplunger by gravity.

What is claimed is:

l. In a pumping mechanism adapted to be disposed at the supply of liquidto be pumped, and for use with a conduit for receiving the liquid thatis pumped and maintaining the same separate Vfrom the supply of liquid,e, pump housing, an outlet from the housing for communication into theconduit, plunger means in the housing Y adapted to be operated in onedirection to expel liquid received from the supply into said outlet, aninletA leading into said pump housing and adapted to receive fluid underintermittent relatively high andv relatively low pressures, valve meansin said pump housing, means connecting the valve means with the inlet toreceive the pressures thereof, said valve means being adapted to beoperated from a rst to a second position when the pressure in said pipeincreases from low to high value, and to return to first position whenthe pressure decreases from high to low value, port means connected whensaid valve is in second position to admit said fluid at high pressure tooperate the piston means in one direction to expel liquid into theoutlet, and said valve means in its first position being adapted toexhaust said fluid to permit the piston means to operate in its otherdirection.

2. In a, pumping mechanism adapted to be disposed at the supply ofliquid to be pumped, and for use with a conduit for receiving the liquidthat is pumped and maintaining the same sepainto the conduit, plungermeans in the housing adapted to be operated in one direction to expelliquid received from the supply into said outlet, an inlet leading intosaid pump housing and adapted to receive fluid under intermittentrelatively high and relatively low pressures, valve means in said pumphousing, means connecting the valve means with the inlet to receive thepressures thereof, said valve means being adapted to be operated from afirst to a, second position when the pressure in said pipe increasesfrom low to high value, and to return to first position when thepressure decreases from high to low Value, port means connected whensaid valve is in second position to admit said fluid at high pressure tooperate the piston means in one direction to admitting fluid from thehigh pressure side of the .piston means to the low pressure sidethereof. 3. In a pumping mechanism adapted to be disposed at a supply ofliquid to be pumped, and

,for use with a conduit to receive the liquid that is pumped and toseparate the same from the supply, a pump housing, an outlet from thehousing for communication into the conduit, cylinder and piston meansoperable in the housing, means to conduct liquid from the supply to thecylinder, a pressure inlet leading into the housing and adapted toreceive intermittent high and low fluid pressures, pressure-responsivevalve means operable in the housing from a first position in which thepressure inlet is disconnected from the cylinder and piston means, to asecond position in which the inlet is connected with the cylinder tointroduce high pressure fluid against the piston means to move the sameand expel oil from the cylinder to the outlet, check valve means to pre-Vent return flow of liquid through the outlet, and means connecting thepressure-responsive valve means with the inlet to receive high pressureand low pressure fluid therefrom and to be actuated by said pressures.

4. In a pumping mechanism adapted to be disposed at a supply of liquidto be pumped, and for use with a conduit to receive the liquid that ispumped and to separate the same from the supply, a pump housing, anoutlet to provide l housing and adapted to receive intermittent highAand low fluid pressures, pressure-responsive valve means operable in thehousing from a iirst position in which the pressure inlet isdisconnected from the cylinder and piston means, to a second position inwhich the inlet is connected With the cylinder to introduce highpressure iluid against the piston means to move the same and expel o ilfrom the cylinder to the conduit, check valve means to prevent returnflow of liquid through the outlet, means connecting thepressure-respon.- sive valve means to the inlet to receive theintermittent fluid pressures therein, yieldable means acting on the saidvalve means in opposition to said fluid pressure, said yieldable meanshaving a force greater than the force produced b-y the loW pressurefluid on the said valve means, but less than the force produced by thehigh pressure fluid thereon.

5. In a pumping mechanism adapted to be clis- 'posed at a supply ofliquid to be pumped, and

for use with a conduit to receive the liquid pumped and to separate thesame from the sup-ply, a pump housing having a cylinder therein, apiston containing plunger operable back and forth in the cylinder, saidplunger having a portion smaller than the cylinder adapted to projectfrom the housing into the supply, a passage through said smaller portionleading through the plunger, a check valve permitting flow of liquidthrough the passage from the supply to the cylinder but preventing backiiovv therethrough, a port leading from the cylinder to the conduit, asecond check valve permitting flow through the port from the cylinderbut preventing back flow therethrough, an inlet leading into the housingand adapted to receive intermittent high and low liquid pressures, acontrol valve, said control valve being movable to connect the inlet tothe cylinder at the side of the plunger having the projecting portion,to move the plunger to expel liquid from the cylinder through the port,and said control valve being returnable to connect said projectingportion side of the plunger to the opposite side thereof behind thesecond check valve, and means to operate the control valve.

6. In a pumping mechanism adapted to be disposed at a supply of liquidto be pumped, and for use with a conduit to receive the liquid pumpedand to separate the same from the supply, a pump housing having acylinder therein, a piston containing plunger operable back and forth inthe cylinder, said plunger having a portion smaller than the cylinderadapted to project from the housing into the supply, a passage throughsaid smaller portion leading through the plunger, a check valvepermitting flow of liquid through the passage from the supply to thecylinder but preventing back flow therethrough, a port leading from thecylinder to the conduit, a second check valve permitting flow throughthe port from the cylinder but preventing back flow therethrough, apressure inlet leading into the housing and adapted to receiveintermittent high and low liquid pressures, a control valve, saidcontrol valve being movable to connect the inlet with the cylinder atthe side of the plunger having the projecting portion, to move theplunger to expel liquid from the cylinder through the port, and saidcontrol valve being returnable to connect said projecting portion sideof the plunger to the opposite side thereof behind the second checkvalve, and means to operate the control valve, said last-named meanscomprising connections to admit the inlet pressures to the control valvewhereby the same may be displaced when the inlet pressure is high.

7. In a pumping mechanism, a pump housing, adapted for connection with ahigh pressure fluid line and a fluid receiving line to conduct fluidpumped by the pumping mechanism, a pressure operated pumping means inthe housing, said means being adapted to be moved in one direction byapplication of high pressure fluid thereto and to be moved in the otherdirection by relief of said pressure in said fluid, valve meansinterposed between the high pressure fluid line and the pumping means,yieldable means normally urging the valve means into position to closeoi the high pressure uid line from the pumping means, and meansresponsive to predetermined pressure in the high pressure iluid line toopen said valve, and thereby effect admission of high pressure to thepumping means.

8. In a pumping mechanism, a pump housing adapted for connection with ahigh pressure fluid line and a nuid receiving line to conduct fluidpumped by the pumping mechanism, a pressure operated pumping means inthe housing adapted to be moved in one direction by application of highpressure uid thereto and to be moved in the other direction by relief ofsaid high pressure, valve means in the housing, pressure-responsiveoperating means for moving the valve means to an open position, saidpressure-responsive means being subjected to the high pressure fluid tobe operated upon existence of high pressure in said line, yieldablemeans opposing the pressure-responsive means to effect closing of thevalve when said pressure is relieved, connections through the valve andhousing to admit high pressure fluid to the pumping means When the valveis open, and connections to relieve said high pressure in said uid whenthe valve is closed.

9. In a pumping mechanism, a pump housing, a high pressure fluid inletin the housing for connection with a high pressure fluid line, a fluidreceiving outlet adapted for connection with a fluid receiving lineleading from the housing to conduct fluid pumped by the pumpingmechanism, a pumping means having a pressure receiving side and a fluidreceiving side, the latter being connected with the fluid receivingline, valve means interposed between the high pressure inlet and thepressure receiving side of the pumping means, pressure-responsive meansconnected with the high pressure inlet for moving the valve means fromclosed to open position upon existence of high pressure in the inlet,means to move the valve means to closed position upon relief of highpressure in the inlet, connections through the valve in open position toconduct high pressure fluid from the inlet to the pressure receivingside of the pumping means, and connections through the valve in closedposition to eiTect equalization of pressures on opposite sides of thepumping means.

10. In a pumping mechanism, a pump housing, a high pressure fluid inletin the housing for connection with a high pressure fluid line, a fluidre ceiving outlet adapted for connection with a fluid receiving lineleading from the housing to conduct fluid pumped by the pumpingmechanism, a pumping means having a pressure receiving side and a fluidreceiving side, the latter being connected with the fluid receivingline, valve means interposed between the high pressure inlet and thepressure receiving side of the pumping means, pressure-responsive meansconnected with the high pressure inlet for moving the valve means fromclosed to open position upon existence of high pressure in the inlet,means to move the REFERENCES CITED The following references are ofrecord in the le of this patent:

Nun'lbel UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Gage et al. July 7, 1925Caberly Aug. 4, 1942 Johnston Sept. 4, 1945

